Embodied Intelligence is building artificial intelligence (AI) software to enable robots to learn tasks performed by the user via a virtual reality headset. It claims existing robots will be compatible with the “robot brain”, which would supplant coding scripts tailored to each task.

The platform might, for example, allow robots to sort items from diversified loads or handle deformable objects such as fabrics and food. It will use reinforcement learning, a technique whereby incentives are written into the robotic software to help teach problem solving.

Embodied will use the seed capital to write its first robotics applications. It was co-founded by Pieter Abbeel, a professor of AI, machine learning and control, intelligence systems and robotics in Berkeley’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences department.